M/M Genre Books : What About it That is so Addictive?

I have been reading since a very young age, however, I never really stray from the M/f (Male/female) Young Adult or New Adult genre. It is all I ever known for a years, and I enjoyed reading it. As the years passed however, I find myself busy with school and trying to keep up with life in general. And it eventually made me stopped reading for quite a while.

When I started to get back into reading again in late 2017, I stumbled upon a book called Captive Prince by C.S. Pacatand I fell in love immediately. Captive Prince was a total accidental pick. I rarely ever read the blurb before picking a book up and ended up picking Captive Prince because the book cover caught my eye. And that is what started my infatuation with this genre.

I had no idea M/M genre books existed before reading Captive Prince. It opened my eye to a whole new world. Not to mention also piqued my interest to a totally new book genre that I have never heard before. As I set to explore deeper into this newfound unique genre, I find myself getting more and more addicted to it.

Since that fateful day when I opened the first page of Captive Prince, I have continuously asked myself : what is it about M/M books that makes me so hooked to it? What is it about this certain genre that seems to be able to repeatedly keep me coming back for more? And after thoroughly assessing and pondering over it, I have my answer.

1. A New Kind of Sexy

One of the reasons why M/M books are so interesting to me is because of the magnetic pull between the characters. Granted, you can also find those kind of dynamic in a M/f (Male/female) genre books. Although after so many years of reading M/f genre, I realized that there are not a lot of M/f books that can convey the kind of connection I find in M/M books.

The main force driving me to continue reading M/M books is the equal relationship dynamic between the main characters. Of course there are exceptions, but in most cases – discounting the usual differences in size, faith, upbringing, etc – the understanding and connection between two men is totally different and unique in such a way that is difficult to find in an M/f relationship.

Physical wise, they have the same thing going on down there (if you get what I mean). Which means sex is already not going to be a problem. Since they already know what they like, and how they like it. If not, isn’t that what experimenting is all about?

Their approach to life and it’s problems are more or less the same. Meaning that, unlike females (this is not a shade to my fellow females, I am one too and I admit to this), they don’t over think. Of course they think before doing things, but they don’t overly worry about things that they cannot control.

The way these characters understand the other’s way of thinking, the perspective of how they see things rids of many complications – but can also bring up others – which is ridiculously sexy. Not to mention, I just love the idea that both parties are pretty much on an even playing field relationship-wise.

2. No Fuss, No Muss

They treat each other the way they like to be treated. This is something that I find really amusing. After reading quite some amount of M/M books, I realize that men don’t usually play games. I am pretty sure you have heard about the push and pull game, the if-he-text-me-one-hour-later-i-will-let-him-wait-for-2-hours-before-texting-him-back game, and etcetera.

While reading M/M books, I realize that all these games are actually made by women. For what reason exactly, I have no idea. Men actually tend to not play games. They are pretty straightforward when it comes to what they want. Which is one of the reasons why I find it so appealing. They spend less time on trying to plan of ways to impress each other and more time having sex. What’s not to love?

3. The Struggle

From men who are afraid to come out of the closet because he fears how to society will judge him to men who just happens to be born in places or countries that abhor and detest LGBT+ relationships, which in some places might even be a crime punishable by death. It is humbling to follow their journey as they find a way to overcome this problem.

With M/M books, it is not only the problems at hand that they have to struggle with. Most of the time, they also have to deal with the inner turmoil of being with someone who is the same sex as they are. Knowing that there might be a chance that the world will see them differently just because of who they love.

4. Angst, baby, Angst

Oh my. Honestly, authors of M/M genres all deserves a medal for being able to write such heart wrenching, angsty books. Before I read books of this genre, I thought I knew what the word “angsty” means. After reading a handful of M/M books, it definitely gives the word “angst” a whole another meaning.

5. Two Cocks are Better Than One

The sex scenes, people. Oh my god.

Don’t even get me started on this one. It is H O T.

It consumes me.

It annihilates me.

It devours me.

Reading about two males who can dish out as much as they can take, is just so freaking sexy.

Some of the sex scenes in this genre are one of the most erotic, sensual, mind blowing thing I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

6. Laid Bare

Another thing that makes me love this genre as much as I do is the vulnerability between the characters. Whether or not anyone wants to admit to it, there are a set of unwritten rules given to you by the society either you were born a female or male.

If you were born male, then you know of this unwritten rule of not showing your emotions in public in worry that will be taken as a weakness. Or this unspoken, yet expected understanding, that a man should be strong, and tough, and tenacious, and steady, and etcetera

What we sometimes also forget however, is that men are also just humans. They feel emotions, even when they don’t show it. They feel pain. They get tired. They get cranky. They get moody. And it is honestly so sweet and heartwarming when a character lowers down their walls and just let their feelings show.

7. Unpredictability

When it comes to reading M/M books, I realized that I go totally the opposites of the genre I would read with M/f books.

When it comes to M/M books, I mostly choose to read mystery, thriller or war fiction. One of the reasons why I stared experimenting with M/M books was because the M/f books I read started to fall into a pattern. It eventually gets predictable.

With M/M, I tend to always choose a book that has some type of action and mystery to it. Not only that it is very interesting to see men who are both almost equally as strong as the other try to figure out their emotions and relationship, having these mysteries on the side to solve and figure out intensifies the storyline and makes things interesting. Plus, it also adds the much needed unpredictability to the plot.

At the end of the day, I learned an important thing from exploring, trying new things and pushing out of my comfort zone. I can positively say that I am now more open minded than I was before I started reading M/M books. While the books and the characters I read are fictional, the issues that these characters went through are not. I am sure most of the people who are currently in a LGBT+ relationship also battled through at some point in their relationship, if not, still fighting through.

It is important to sometimes take a step back and see things through a different sets of eyes, a different point of view to appreciate what I so easily take for granted. One lesson that I picked up from reading M/M books is : no matter the gender, race, or beliefs, it truly does not matter who you choose to love in this life. Ultimately, love is love. Choose what makes you the happiest.

1 thought on “M/M Genre Books : What About it That is so Addictive?”

Captive Prince was also my first MM book. I read a lot of of boy’s love manga but I didn’t know MM exists until I saw the Japanese edition of Captive Prince. With a cover like that, how could I resist?